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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1992-08-19, Page 16Page 16 Times -Advocate, August 19, 1992 •FARAILW_DALE_ • • Corn teaching the value of coin to local youths By Michele Ellison T -A Staff CREDITON - Not only were local farm- ers disturbed about their corn crops after the miserable weather in July, some of their children were equally as concerned because many of them have managed to make successful summer jobs out of the month-long corn selling season. Mike and Melissa O'Brien of Crediton, and Elizabeth, Andrea and Jared French of Whalen Cor- ners are two groups of siblings who depend on the crop for back -to - school spending money. Both groups arc veterans of small, family -run business as the O'Briens have more or less inherit- ed their roadside stand from 20 year-old brother Jeff who ran it for many years before them and the French's have been collaborating, with help from their parents Earl and Barb, since 1984. Mike, 12, Melissa, 10 and Jeff pull themselves out of bed at 7:00 a.m., rain or shine, to pick the their inventory for the day and Mike and Melissa are solely responsible for selling out of the pick-up truck day after day. Their father kon says this hard work is the reason they are so suc- cessful in the venture. "These guys work at it. ... They have faithful customers from the last seven or eight years. Older people from Grand Cove [Estates] in Grand Bend come out every year," says Ron. Elizabeth, 17 Andrea, 14 and Jared, 11 have also had a profitable week of sales. "We weren't sure if we were go- ing to have any [corn], but then (the weather] perked up and we've done really well," reports Elizabeth who is entering grade 12 at Med- way High School in Arva. While, their mother does most of the picking of the corn from their three acres of land, the youths do the selling and by talking to them it is obvious they know their product well. This, they say, is their selling point. "We've grown up with it," is the reason Andrea says the trio can an - The French family of Whalen Comers has been collaborating for eight years in the corn selling business. It is the job of An- drea (front) and Elizabeth and Jared French to do the roadside selling, rain or shine. One Foot in the Furrow Bob Trotter I am confused and worried over all this opposition to the Ontario government's plan to assess every fanner in the province a fee of $150 a year. Obviously. a great many farmers are not in favor of the plan yet it was implemented at the insistence of the Ontario Federation of Agri- culture. Opposition to the fee is obvious. Mae than 400 farmers packed a hall in southwestern On- tario to discuss the levy and many of those farmers were vehement in their complaints. The plan, some of them said, smacks of dictatorship and totali- tarianism. A few newspapers have also attacked the idea and one went so far as to call it a repugnant attempt at social engineering. Why is there so much squawk- ing about a serious attempt to ob- tain adequate funding for the one major farm organization in the province and two smaller ones? The Ontario Federation of Agricul- ture, the Christian Farmers Federa- tion of Ontario and the Ontario branch of the National Farmers Union are the .beneficiaries of the plan. All three of these organizations have, at various times in their his- tory. been strapped for funds. All three of them have been working hard for years to benefit farmers. This plan as proposed by Agminis- ter Elmer Buchanan would give them all addi ' • fundin . The swer customer's questions about their five different corn varieties. The French's enjoy the vegetable everyday it's in season. As well, Barb 'points out they pick their corn throughout the day to avoid overpicking and guarantee freshness and the kids are always willing to allow a customer to par- tially husk a couple of cobs to en- sure satisfaction. Already two weeks late, sweet corn went on sale at both stands last week and according to the O'Briens, sales are as good as ever despite the wet weather. Andrea French, however, says, "the rain hasn't been good because people don't want to get out of their cars." All of the students agree the ex- perience of coming in contact with people and the responsiblity of han- dling money are the most impor- tant aspects of the job. "What it teaches them is is how to meet people and make change [on sales]," says Ron O'Brien. "I think it's been good for all of them." "I've learned the value of money. If 1 have to work hard for it, I don't want to spend it on little things,' says Elizabeth. "I like the selling and meeting people ... and the Loney after- wards," says Mike. By the end of the season, both groups will raise from $2,000 to $3,000 dollars. Business will continue to grow through the last couple weeks of August as the peaches and cream season should arrive this week and both stands say it is their biggest Seller. "We have a lot of people ask for it." says Elizabeth. Although there are no structured hours, both groups say they take OFA now has about 18,000 mem- bers. The other two organizations have an additional 1,000 members. It seems to me the dissidents should have been complaining long ago about this $150 -a -year levy. They knew it was coming. The proposal has been on the table for almost two years. Now that it may become a reality, the complai- nants come out of the woodwork. Why are so many against it? If agricultural organizations SSW needed proper funding and the ability to speak in unison, now is the time: They need to be fighting the rest of the world, not them- selves. They need to speak for agri- culture as a whole instead of upping each other apart I have long admired Gordon Hill, a veteran farmer who has been ac- tive in both the farmers union and the federation . He said it best "Farmers need to get together to fight for fanners rather than fighting among ourselves." I can see absolutely nothing New product seminar Fos deo** from :as 4140A4014401a *lid 41111004101041040 °itiJl f tozzoirentettutal Vflow (0nL of Pick out your favorite picture of the Stephen, Usborne or West McGillivray Parade Send in to us by August 31/92 First prize - 2 tickets to a Blue Jays game at the Sky Dome Second prize - Mens or ladies watch Third prize - Mens or ladies watch Decision of the judges will be final If you wish your photo returned please Dome in and pick it up Centralia Fannon; Supply .0. Box 20, Contralto Ont. NOM 21(0 wrong with the method of taxation to fund these organizations. When any one of them gets changes made, every farmer benefits. It is this same cry by organized labor which led to the automatic checkoff for unions. Every worker benefits when a union makes strides; therefore, every worker should help finance labor unions. Every farmer benefits when the OFA, the CFFO and the NFU makes strides; therefore, every .armor should help finance these organiza- tions. Other organizations of profession- als such as lawyers, doctors, and en- gineers have what could also be called an automatic checkoff. To practice these disciplines, you must be a member of the professional or- ganizations. The membership fee is compulsory. The only difference here is that the province is going to collect the membership fee. Farm organizations need the mon- ey. They have been limping along on inadequate funding for a hundred years. But farmers are fiercely indepen- dent, too. They will not unite long enough to present a united . front. They are too many marching to a different drummer. Which leads me to believe that the dissidents are not yet in full cry. They will be shouting louder when they have to pay their $150. their posts from about 9:00 a.m. un- til at least 7:00 p.m. and say Fn - days and Sundays are the busiest days. The O'Brien's roadside stand can be found off County road 4, west of Crediton on Lot 10, Concession 9. The French's are established just north of Whalen Corners on High- way 23. Mike and Melissa O'Brien of Crediton enjoy meeting people at their roadside stand where the family has solo sweet corn and peaches and cream for years. pnnnnnnnnnnunnunnnnnnlunnnlnnm►nmmmmnnun11unnnnnnnnunlunnnnnnn11nnnnnnnnm 11111 ] BEAT THE HIGH COST OF WATER HEATING ELECTRICALLY! 30. GAL 01L produces 100 gal. hot water per hour 30 GAL GAS produces 3Q gal. hot water per hour It takes a 66 GAL. ELECTRIC WATER HEATER to produce 4 gallons hot water per hour AYEBAGLIZATMIUMML COSTS PER, YEAR BASED ON A FAMILY OF FOUR Electric $666.00 Propane $424.00 011$264.00 DAVE MOORE FUELS LTD. 315 Main St. N. Exeter 235-0853 or 1-800-265-2931 "The Best Service When You Need It Most" uuuptuullltlllluIiuuuunull JituHNlu luu1uunlutlllluluuu mInnunlltF Attention Farmers Plot Tour W.G. Thompson & Sons Hensall Branch would like to invite you to join us for a plot tour of White Beans, Soybeans, and Corn. Your spouses are also invited to join us for the day if they wish and for the barbecue. Following the tour a barb9ciwill be served for all that are interested. Please call us at 262-2527 by August 31, for meal preparation and buses. DATE: Tuesday, September 8th TIME: Tour - 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. BBQs4:00-5:00p.m. PLACE: W.G. Thompson & Sons Limited - Hensall The Hensall staff would like to say thank you for your patronage